Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ruling out investor-state dispute settlement provisions in future trade agreements.

The precise details of any future Free Trade Agreement are a matter for formal negotiations, and we would not seek to pre-empt these discussions.

HM Government recognises the important role that Investment protections with Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) can play in protecting British investors abroad, including pensioners across the country through their pension funds and SMEs. Where ISDS is included in future agreements, we will seek to ensure fair outcomes of claims and high ethical standards for arbitrators, with increased transparency and efficiency of proceedings.